The 5 best Paris hotels to book for the 2024 Olympics
The 2024 Olympics takes place across various locations in Paris between 26 July and 11 August 2024.
As the days lengthen and we Londoners gradually start to shed our musty winter chrysalises, there is one key summer event we can start to look forward to: the Olympic Games. London last had a taste of the 2024 Olympics buzz in 2012 when we hosted them ourselves, and the city has longed for them ever since.
Now, this July, they’re within touching distance again, with Paris hosting three weeks of unparalleled sporting events across its picturesque and historic city. As much as we’d love to be hogging the spotlight again, Paris’s position as Olympic host provides a very useful opportunity for London folk: what is already a great location for a summer weekend break has just become even more appealing.
Everyone who’s anyone will be popping over to the City of Light for some athletic entertainment, whether they secured tickets or just because they want to soak up the vibe of an Olympic city in its element. Some of the entertainment, including the opening ceremony, is free to attend, and if all goes to plan, some sporting events will be held in the Seine. So even without access, those with a well-placed hotel balcony can enjoy the festivities.
Here are some of the best places to stay in Paris during its Olympic summer.
HÔTEL DAME DES ARTS
One of the best hotel rooftops in Paris belongs to Hôtel Dame des Arts in the city’s Latin quarter, which also happens to be roughly 600 metres from Notre Dame and the Luxembourg Gardens. Expect 360 degree views, as well as a stylish and experienced bar service in the summer months. Dame des Arts is a relatively new addition to the Parisian hotel scene, having opened last January, but has quickly made a name for itself as a chic option for inner city stays. A chic hotel in Paris? Groundbreaking. But this one really is. Back on street level, there is the restaurant, which offers elevated contemporary Mexican cuisine, fused with elements of French and Japanese cooking. Quite the mix, but it follows through: the corn tempura is genuinely addictive, and an otherwise boring menu option, such as a chicken taco, will end up being one of the best things you eat during your trip. Rooms are outfitted with subtle and modish decor, and while the hotel is more functional due to its central location, there is also a sauna available for spa lovers, as well as Diptyque toiletries. For those looking to exploit the city’s heightened energy this summer, this is a great choice.
LA FANTAISIE
Fellow newcomer is La Fantaisie, a Martin Brudnizki-designed hotel that aims to make guests feel as though they’re in a garden paradise, safe from the bustling metropolis outside. Though there are 63 rooms and 10 suites, guests are given a singularly personal experience, as though they are close friends staying in a cosy townhouse. Located on the bustling Rue Cadot among Paris’s ninth arrondissement, the hotel shelters its guests while simultaneously placing them right in the action. A short walk away from the trendy areas of Pigalle and Monmartre, this location is great for people watching, or Adidas Samba and Salomon-spotting. If you don’t eat at La Fantaisie’s restaurant, Golden Poppy, definitely try and get into Bouillon Pigalle, a cheap but astoundingly impressive bistrot so popular it can amass hour-long queues. The duck is worth the hour wait, believe me. If you do eat at the restaurant: good choice. Golden Poppy’s menu is the creation of three-star chef Dominique Crenn, who blends French cuisine with Californian dining staples to bring together a light, colourful offering. The pièce de résistance is the beetroot tuna tartare, which is as handsome as it is flavourful. Knowledgeable waiters also recommend good wine pairing choices, so you’re in safe hands. Tucked away underground is a small spa with a series of mixed-temperature baths, as well as two saunas and a steam room. On a quiet day, it is the perfect place for a guest to get a pseudo-solo spa experience.
LA DÉPENDANCE
This comfortable three-star hotel is on the slightly more affordable side while maintaining the necessary chicness to make you feel as though you haven’t dropped a single star. Comprising 29 refined rooms, inspired by Les Jardins à la Française, this hotel makes small spaces look effortlessly swish, all overlooking the hotel courtyard or the neighbouring rue Molière. It’s also located in the first arrondissement of Paris, the city’s oldest and most central district, which makes it a great pick for anyone set on completing the entirety of the Louvre (good luck) during their stay – it’s only a six minute walk away. If grinding down the soles of your shoes just isn’t your thing and staying as central as possible is the ticket, La Dépendance couldn’t be a better pick. While the hotel doesn’t have a restaurant, it does have fashionable coffee shop, Cesar y Georgette, attached, which is an homage to the Peruvian poet César Vallejo, who lived at the address. Romantics and art lovers, this is one for you.
LUTETIA
This hotel is for those seeking the Olympian experience: with its expansive Akasha spa, fitness facilities and 17m pool, you can fake your way through the prep and rehabilitation treatments until you feel like an actual athlete. The spa even has an upcoming partnership with Therabody, so any gym-goers or exercise-lovers missing their Theragun can get a home-away-from-home hit of rehab. Or, for the more beauty-inclined, you can try one of the specialised U Beauty facials. The only palace hotel on the Left Bank, Lutetia is a vast hotel with impossibly attentive staff, perfect for anyone with special requirements or those especially fond of five star service. Expect your name to be remembered without fail and your initials to be embroidered onto the edge of your pillows. For anyone with potential business commitments around their stay, sizeable rooms also double up as soothing workspaces. And if you’re partial to a bit of room service, this is the perfect hotel in which to enjoy some pomme frites in the comfort of your pristine white sheets. The hotel also sits in the heart of Saint Germain des Prés, with many rooms featuring views of the Eiffel Tower. The hotel and its brasserie are family friendly, and its spa also has time periods where young ones are permitted.
25HOURS HOTEL TERMINUS NORD
Not all events at the 2024 Olympics are easily accessible from the city centre, so being near Gare du Nord is an ideal option for those looking to travel out to different locations, such as the Stade de France for the rugby and athletics, as well as the para-athletics later in August. A great hotel option for near the station is the 25Hours Hotel Terminus Nord, which combines Asian and African style elements in the lively decor for its varying-sized rooms. Some deals even include Schindelhauer bikes to give guests an easy and convenient way to explore Paris, and larger rooms feature freestanding bathtubs. If you’re looking for bright colours and convenience, 25Hours Terminus Nord will make your Olympic stay a little more vivid. Plus, when not focusing on the Olympics, the 10th arrondissement is one of the most lively areas of the city. Recommended haunts include Chez Jeanette, an impossibly trendy bar where all the staff look like off-duty Yves Saint Laurent models, as well as the Canal Saint-Martin, which makes for a lovely walk.
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